Trellis fruit has a special charm, because it is reminiscent of the enchanted gardens of old castles and manor houses. A lot of attention is required to train a trellis pear. The tiers build up over the years and require special pruning several times during the growing season.
Pear trellis need a lot of attention
plant cutting
The first cut in spring is carried out before the leaves sprout, so that the fruit tree grows optimally on the trellis. Immediately after planting, tie two opposite branches to the lowest trellis. These should be strong enough, because they form the first floor. Then remove all side branches. Only the central shoot, which grows vertically upwards, remains.
education cut
Repeat this cutting measure until you have designed the desired number of floors. When the pear trellis has reached its final size, you no longer have to continue the central shoot. This is then cut out so that the wood only grows laterally.
How to proceed:
- Cut the middle drive at the height of the next floor
- Set shears just above three healthy buds
- Tie side shoots to the framework and direct the main shoot upwards
maintenance cut
From the end of May there is a pruning, in which you concentrate on the main branches and side branches. The new shoots on the main branches are shortened to about 60 centimeters. How to prevent bald spots. The laterally growing fruit shoots are pinched as soon as they have grown at least ten centimeters long. Shorten this year's shoots immediately after fruit set so that four to six leaves remain. You should repeat this process once or twice during the summer. Completely remove branches that grow towards the wall of the house.
Special feature: tenon cutting
This intervention reduces the yield, which is why many gardeners forgo the measure. However, the spur pruning from the third year onwards ensures that the fruit tree remains young and healthy. The quality of the harvest also increases. To do this, cut the old fruiting wood the following spring. Shorten the branches to about four buds, which will branch profusely.
preparations
Trellis trees like a warm spot in the garden, which can be on an east or west wall. Planting directly on the south wall harbors the risk that the sun's rays in spring will lead to premature leaf and flower shoots. Late frosts can damage plant tissue, reducing crop yields. Therefore place the espalier pear at a generous distance from the southern wall of the house.
framework
Weather-resistant wood such as larch, sweet chestnut or robinia and metal wires with a coating are ideal for the scaffolding. You can either set it up free-standing on the floor or mount it on a house wall at a distance of ten centimeters. It is important that the slats have a minimum thickness of 25 by 25 millimeters. There should be about 40 centimeters of space between the trellis tiers.